Lady Jocelyn Layton is a young widow who has no intention of ever marrying again. Her elderly husband left her completely independent, but her short marriage left her perfectly content to be alone. However, when her sister Evelyn goes missing, she is forced to turn to the one man who makes her pulse race. Inspector Sebastian Ness is trying to catch a serial killer, and he has no time to track down the whereabouts of a spoiled society lady, even if the most beautiful woman he's ever known is the one asking for his help. However, when it becomes clear that Jocelyn's sister might be yet another of the madman's victims, he is forced to work closely with her to find out what Evelyn knew before the killer strikes again.